Strand Book Store

The Strand Bookstore has been around for decades, primarily selling (and buying- at a super low price, so don

This store is great. The employees are very inciteful, helpful, and best of all- like their jobs. There are many gems to be found here that might not be in a mainstream store. If you love book this place is a must visit.

I love books, love to read and Strands is a Bookstore with a wide range of selections. You don't have to be a book worm to like this store. They sell it all. Books for Everyone, no matter your interest. They have the popular books. They have the books that no-one else carries. The hard to find books, new or used. For the most part, the used books they sell are in great reading condition. They have $1 racks, if you happen to have a thesis to write on something old, you can get ideas and information from these books without spending much money on something you will only use that one time. I love coming here and spending time browsing. They have a good collection of educational books for teachers, parents and children. If I ever decide to home school my child I know I can count on Strands for the academic material that I will need. I picked up a large US map, about 42""x50"" that has an adhesive to stick on the wall. It allows my little one to fill in with an erasable marker the name of the states, its capital and each states abbreviation. It is also easy to peel off. I saw other educational stick on that are priced right and I plan on returning to purchase. Strands always have competitive prices to other major bookstores. It truly is a place to get lost in and fall in Love...

Bored with the same old selection you see on the tables in Barnes & Nobles? Don’t get me wrong I love my Barnes & Nobles but this place is exceptional. You’ll find a completely different selection here. Or you’ll find what you’re looking for but half of what you would pay elsewhere. There is a reason why this store is filled with people and books on a Friday night. It has an extremely unique arrangement of books. They have everything from new releases to the out of print materials. If you haven’t gone here yet you are completely missing out!

Miles of books cramped on shelves shouldn’t intimidate you. There are three floors with tons of titles, genres, and categories. A personal favorite is the children’s section where you’ll find classics and out of prints. They have a large selection of books about New York City just for kids. Whether you’re a teacher, parent, or someone who just cares about children’s lit, it is quite an amazing assortment. In addition, they even hold events here and filled up a calendar with them.

Even if you aren’t in the NYC area, you can go online and purchase books too. If you are in this area you should check it out. Try selling your books back, buying a book for a buck, or see an event there. While this may not be your typical bookstore, it is definitely grand. I think everyone should try out Strand!

I make going to Strands books a regular event.



They often have new comics and trade paperbacks for half off. The bookstore is a little disorganize. You should go to Comics section looking for a specific title. But the hunt is almost as satisfying as the treasure.

Inimitable, timeless, grand book maven's haven.The Strand has history, and is one of the few New York City surviving indies that still smells of must and mystery.

Like several other reviewers here, I joined Citysearch specifically to bash The Strand. The place is a total triumph of advertising over product. Anyone in a dumb Strand T-shirt (or hoodie, or hat, or shorts) will tell you that this is a great independent book store, but the fact of the matter is that it's got a very unimpressive selection that's presided over by some of the rudest people I've ever encountered in retail. I guarantee that whatever you can find at The Strand you can find cheaper on the Amazon Marketplace, shipping included.

The people who work at The Strand comport themselves as if they were the high priests of a sacred temple, but the truth of the matter is that they're in customer service. And if they can't provide pleasant service and a good, low-priced selection of books, what's the point?

I've always bought my books at Strands, just because they are dollars cheaper than other bookstores I've encountered in New York. Unlike the others, I have yet to encounter the rudeness of their employees, probably because I have never bothered to sell my used books here, and after reading the numerous review, have no intention to. The only thing that bothers me about this bookstore is how unorganized it is : dusty books are stacked on top of each other, some books are not in alphabetical order/not in their best condition, and it's hard to navigate through the store, it's like a puzzle within itself (you go left, and then right, and then left again, and it would take you an hour to go back to the entrance. I'm exaggerating, but you get my point).
For me, their prices kind of make up for everything, even though I personally wouldn't spend more than 30 minutes there!

We ordered a new book from Strand through Amazon and found it to have red ink on the bottom and to be in generally dingy condition.

I lived within easy walking distance of the East Village location for a few years and never needed an excuse to go there. However, I've always found the employees at that store to be very unpleasant. In recent years I've been patronizing the Fulton Street location and I like it MUCH better. For one thing, there's plenty of space to maneuver and it's hardly ever crowded. And although I wouldn't accuse the staff of being effusively friendly, they're a lot more pleasant than at the main location. The selection at Fulton Street is very good, too.

I completely concur with the other reviewers here about the RUDENESS and ATTITUDE of the staff at the Strand. Ask them a simple, polite question about their store and they bite your head off. The Strand in the 1990s was a necessary evil for me before the internet. In 2007 it has lost almost all of its appeal, and is simply not a very fun place to hang out and sift through dusty, mediocre books. The worst part is their book buying policy -- incredibly low offers. Five excellent books will but one of their old tomes. The only reason I don't give it one star is that a store with this many books is bound to have something of interest. It's not the books' fault!

Um, how could you hate the strand? It's huge and has a great selection of used and hard-to-find books at great prices. The staff actually knows something about literature, unlike the employees of many huge chain bookstores. There's a reason it's constantly packed with people.

DID I MENTION THEY ARE RUDE!????? i have lived across the street from strand my whole life but i actually just registered with citysearch JUST to write this review!)

like many of the previous posters i went to sell some used books, as it clearly states all over their signage that they buy them. just as i walked up, the man behind the counter (richard i think his name was) acted like i offended him by bringing these books there, he glared at me and snapped that they dont buy text books (which they used to) and they dont buy paperbacks. i told him to just look through the 3 bags i had to see if there was anything he would take, since i wasnt sure anymore what he was looking for. he outright refused to look, so i pulled a few out that i thought maybe he would look at.....saying that whatever else he didnt want, i would just donate. that apparently outraged him more because he rudely informed me that the salvation army on the next block was the ""appropriate"" place to try to donate my things if thats what i was trying to do!!! i certainly didnt expect to make more than a few bucks on my books, which were used but in great condition, and i probably would have turned around and spent it in the store purchasing some new books....but after this disgruntled loser of a man waved his hand at me saying ""NO!!"" there wasnt anything useful in my bag, i am glad because i dont want to contribute a cent to these people. the worst part is that EVEN THOUGH THIS MAN REFUSED TO LOOK AT OR BUY ANY OF THE BOOKS I BROUGHT, WHEN I TURNED AROUND ANOTHER EMPLOYEE HAD ALREADY TAKEN ALL 3 BAGS OF BOOKS AWAY ANY WAS PUTTING THEM IN A BIN TO SELL THEM!!!!!!!!! they were so heavy, i didnt even bother to ask for them back, but i was angry with myself on the way home thinking about them making money on those books after giving me nothing but a DISGUSTING attitude. i certainly would have settled for a smile! STAY AWAY FROM STRAND!!!!!!

I would have to agree that the service at the strand is very poor and the place is not organized and the staff is rude. Dont waste your time!

It?s places like this who whine when chains take away their business. I?m all in favor of supporting local businesses but if the staff is going to insist on treating the clientele poorly, I?d be glad to see them go out of business- can?t just coast on ?we?re independently owned and we're cheap"" as justification of their existence when they treat people badly.
I go in on Sunday April 22 and I?m ""greeted? by a security guard who tells me ?check your bag?. Fine. Just let me get the books out first. As I?m doing this, he keeps jerking his head towards the bag check counter even after I politely tell him yes, i will, I?m getting my books out. Now if I?m taking books out of my bag the second I walk in, what do you think I?m doing with them? But he waits until I check the bag, bring my books to the sale counter, then tells me they don?t take sales on Sunday. I asked him why he watched me do this without saying anything- he just ignored me. Textbook ?now I see you, now I don?t? behavior regularly practiced by nasty bouncers, but a bookstore? . What kind of business encourages this behavior?
I go in April 23 and sell my books (rate was about 12% of original price). A employee is curt with a guy behind me when he asks if he can put his heavy box of book on the counter. I see already yesterday wasn't an isolated incident, but the way of things at the Strand.
Then the guy behind the counter thinks it?s appropriate to remark on how I shouldn?t smoke cause it?s bad for me (thanks, had no idea) when I take out my lighter. I?m sure he was trying to be funny, but after observing his sizeable belly and wondering if I should advise him to exercise more and eat less pizza because it?s bad for him, I somehow doubted he?d find the humor.
There?s an ?if you don?t like it, go somewhere else? attitude here. Don?t worry. I will. Rather spend an extra $5-$10 on a book and not deal with a miserable staff. I hope the rest of the customers who get treated like garbage here follow suit.

gaijingirl is so right, i did not know about citysearch when I HAD My problem at Strand, this place is a disgrace, and on the phone just as bad. rude service, rude workers, lousy store

I'd experienced the rudeness of the staff at the Strand in the past - and today's experience inspired me to write a review. I had gone over to the Strand to sell a few books (with the intention of later browsing the aisles, and maybe picking up something new.) The man who came over barely glanced at the books (without looking at me at all), announced ""we don't buy books unless they're in good shape"" and walked away without further word. In the stack of books I'd brought were novels purchased *less than a week ago* from Amazon. And I sure hadn't dragged them through the mud since. (Just found they weren't my style.) And alot shabbier books were on sale all around. Given markups, my concern was not really that I was denied much of a sale...it's the ATTITUDE at the Strand that is just unpleasant. Thanks, whoever you are. I'm never coming to the Strand again.

While the upstairs at the Strand is crowded, impossible to move around in and seems to have no organizational qualities whatsoever, the downstairs with thousands of hard cover reviewers copies of new books is a new fiction lovers paradise! I'm never buying a new novel at regular price again!

Is it perfect? No -- it's dusty, hot, etc. But it's the best of its kind. I won't argue that there aren't niche booksellers (Argosy, etc.) who shine, but for those who are old enough to remember the treasure troves of 4th Avenue's booksellers, the Strand is a reminder of what was. In the age of chains and Internet sales (Alibris, Amazon's z-shops, etc.) the walk around and touch the stock stores like Strand are endangered species.

The t-shirts boast ""8 Miles of Books"", and once you enter this NYC institution you believe it. Hardcovers, paperbacks, etc. in every genre and condition and price range. This store reminded me of a regular bookstore in its open-aired atmosphere, voluminous selections, and bustling crowds of bibliophiles. One other note: it's touristy, but you can't beat the cool Strand t-shirts for $6.95 (tax included in that) in all kinds of colors from saffron to black to olive green. A must for any literate boheme.